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Victoria wants answers on medical pot access
By Hempology | May 14, 2002
From the WEEKEND EDITION
Friday, May 10, 2002
By Don Descoteau (Weekend Edition Staff)
Victoria Mayor Alan Lowe wants to know how to get some medical marijuana.
Lowe says he plans to contact Health Canada to inquire about the availability of medical marijuana. Speaking at a committee of the whole meeting in Victoria May 2, Lowe told city councillors he hopes to arrange for a representative of Health Canada to speak at a combined police board/council gathering about access to the federally-sanctioned supply of pot.
When asked afterward about the time frame for such a meeting, Lowe was non-committal, saying it depends mainly on the availablity of a person from the federal health department’s Ottawa-based office.
Victoria medical marijuana advocate Ted Smith, among the people to have complained that Health Canada’s distribution procedures have made it virtually impossible for those with legitimate need to use marijuana for medicinal purposes, said he’s pleased Health Canada is being called on the carpet to clarify its policies.
“To my knowledge this is the first time Health Canada has ever been called to address any municipal council,” he said.
At its April 18 committee of the whole meeting, Victoria councillors voted to in general support the issuing of medical marijuana by suppliers other than Health Canada. Two such “compassion clubs” are in existence in Greater Victoria.
Health Canada, which set up its lone growing operation in Flin Flon, Man. in 2000 to supply terminally ill patients and those suffering from chronic pain from other illnesses with government-approved pot, has been plagued with distribution problems, despite the fact relatively few people have been issued legal medical exemptions to use the drug.
Smith estimates that less than 40 people in the 800-member Cannabis Buyers’ Club which he co-founded have legal exemptions. Most have not bothered to apply, he said, because going through Health Canada takes too long.
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